Hofburg Imperial Palace

While the Schonbrunn Palace was the summer residence, replete with 1500 servants, the Hofburg Imperial Palace was the winter residence -- just down the street.  The Hofburg has been expanded over the centuries to include: various residences, the chapel, museums, the Imperial Library, the treasury, the national theatre, the riding school; and the horse stables ("Lipizzaner" horses -- dancing horses).

Closer look at the dome.

These are scultpures on the front of the building -- too beautiful -- some of them more modest than others!

We went to the Treasure Chamber of the Hofburg Palace and saw the jewels of the House of Hapsburg and others.  Below is an aquamarine - 4 to 5 inches in length.

 

Largest emerald in the world (or so they say.)  This is 5 to 6 inches in size.

A crown, sceptre, and orb of some king or other.

Below is a closeup of the sceptre and crown.  Those jewels are real.  Can you see those huge diamonds? pearls? sapphires? a ruby or two? an emerald?

Below is a "unicorn", or so they say.  There is a person in our family who has an affinity for unicorns, or so I hear.  In truth, it is a narwal tusk.  What is a narwal, you say?  It's a big whale-type fish.

Below is one of the beautiful Vienna buildings.

Here is an outside store window -- note the brass and wood (real wood - not plastic).

We stopped for a $10 hot chocolate (me - delicious!) and a $10 warm apple strudel with hazel nut ice cream on it (Stuart) when our feet were truly killing us at this famous bakery.  Check how long it has been in operation. 

Oh, by the way, Stuart was so in love with the apple strudel-sort of pastry that he had 5 of them in one day.  There were unbelievably delicious.  It would almost be worth spending money for another airline ticket to Vienna to eat a few more -- followed by a strict bread and water diet for at least a week after arriving home.

Stuart was pretty taken with a gold Cinderella . . .

while I had my moment with this pewter guy.

We went to a concert at the Kursalom Palace where Johann Strauss originally conducted his orchestras.  They packed the people in for a crowd-pleasing concert of excellent music -- Strauss waltzes, familiar Mozart pieces, accompanied by two excellent ballet dancers (man and woman), a fine soprano and terrific tenor.  It was very good, if a little over-commercialized in my view.

All in all, we fell in love with Vienna.